Wurtele held without bond on Otoe County charges of sexual assault

Eugene Wurtele, 64, of Nebraska City was ordered held without bond Tuesday following an appearance in Otoe County Court where he is charged with 12 counts of sexual assault of a child.

Otoe County Attorney David Partsch asked Judge Todd Hutton to set bond at $1 million.

He said Wurtele is accused of 11 counts of sexual assault from June 1, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2012, involving a 10-year-old girl and one count of sexual assault involving a seven-year-old girl between Nov. 1, 2011 and Jan. 15, 2012.

Dan Swanson

Eugene Wurtele, 64, of Nebraska City was ordered held without bond Tuesday following an appearance in Otoe County Court where he is charged with 12 counts of sexual assault of a child.

Otoe County Attorney David Partsch asked Judge Todd Hutton to set bond at $1 million.

He said Wurtele is accused of 11 counts of sexual assault from June 1, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2012, involving a 10-year-old girl and one count of sexual assault involving a seven-year-old girl between Nov. 1, 2011 and Jan. 15, 2012.

Partsch said Wurtele also has charges pending in Douglas County, where he earlier posted bond of 10 percent of $500,000.

Defense Attorney James Martin Davis said a $1 million bond is unreasonable.He noted that Wurtele has no criminal record, has never been arrested before and is well established in the community.

Wurtele is a former member of the Nebraska City School Board.

"I don't know, as a matter of record, that there is anything to be said that he is a flight risk," Davis said.

He said Wurtele has been out of jail for a week and police, honoring Davis' request, did not serve an arrest warrant pending arrangements for the court appearance Tuesday.

Judges John Steinheider and Randall Rehmeier have recused themselves from the case and Otoe County has a judge vacancy due to Judge Jeffrey Funke's move to the district court.

Davis said Wurtele has been married 44 years, is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and only recently retired as a locomotive engineer with Burlington Northern. His wife Nancy accompanied him in the courtroom.

He asked for a 10 percent provision on a $50,000 to $100,000 bond.

Davis said the Douglas County case originated after Wurtele made a voluntary disclosure and said Wurtele has also cooperated with Otoe County investigators.

Judge Hutton said the charges against Wurtele qualify under state law for him to be held without bond.

He scheduled on Oct. 28 preliminary hearing and said Wurtele can have his bond reviewed after 24 hours.